1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a liquid crystal composition suitable for use in an active matrix (AM) device, and an AM device containing the composition. In particular, the invention relates to a liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy, and to a device having an IPS (in-plane switching) mode or a VA (vertical alignment) mode containing the composition.
2. Related Art
In a liquid crystal display device, classification based on an operating mode of liquid crystals includes phase change (PC), twisted nematic (TN), super twisted nematic (STN), electrically controlled birefringence (ECB), optically compensated bend (OCB), in-plane switching (IPS), vertical alignment (VA), and so forth. Classification based on a driving mode includes a passive matrix (PM) and an active matrix (AM). PM is further classified into static, multiplex and so forth, and AM is classified into a thin film transistor (TFT), a metal insulator metal (MIM) and so forth. TFT is further classified into amorphous silicon and polycrystal silicon. The latter is classified into a high temperature type and a low temperature type according to a production process. Classification based on a light source includes a reflection type utilizing a natural light, a transmission type utilizing a backlight and a semi-transmission type utilizing both the natural light and the backlight.
These devices contain a liquid crystal composition having suitable characteristics. The liquid crystal composition has a nematic phase. General characteristics of the composition should be improved to obtain an AM device having good general characteristics. Table 1 below summarizes the relationship between the general characteristics of the two. The general characteristics of the composition will be explained further based on a commercially available AM device. A temperature range of a nematic phase relates to the temperature range in which the device can be used. A desirable maximum temperature of the nematic phase is approximately 70° C. or more and a desirable minimum temperature is approximately −10° C. or less. The viscosity of the composition relates to the response time of the device. A short response time is desirable for displaying a moving image. Accordingly, a small viscosity of the composition is desirable. A small viscosity at a low temperature is more desirable.
TABLE 1General Characteristics of a Liquid Crystal Composition and an AM DeviceNo.General Characteristics of a CompositionGeneral Characteristics of an AM Device1Temperature range of a nematic phase is wideUsable temperature range is wide2Viscosity is small1)Response time is short3Optical anisotropy is suitableContrast ratio is large4An absolute value of dielectric anisotropy is largeThreshold voltage is low, electric power consumption issmall, and a contrast ratio is large5Specific resistance is largeVoltage holding ratio is large and a contrast ratio is large6It is stable to ultraviolet light and heatService life is long1)A liquid crystal composition can be injected into a cell in a short time.
The optical anisotropy of the composition relates to the contrast ratio of the device. Devices having a VA mode, an IPS mode, and so forth utilize electrically controlled birefringence. In order to maximize the contrast ratio of a device having a VA mode, an IPS mode, and so forth, a product (Δn·d) of the optical anisotropy (Δn) of the composition and the cell gap (d) of the device is designed to be a constant value. Examples of the value include from 0.30 to 0.40 μm (VA mode) and from 0.20 to 0.30 μm (IPS mode). Since the cell gap (d) is generally from 2 to 6 μm, the optical anisotropy of the composition is generally from 0.05 to 0.16. A large dielectric anisotropy of the composition contributes to a low threshold voltage, a small electric power consumption and a large contrast ratio of the device. Accordingly, a large dielectric anisotropy is desirable. A large specific resistance of the composition contributes to a large voltage holding ratio and a large contrast ratio of the device. Accordingly, a composition having a large specific resistance is desirable at room temperature and also at a high temperature in the initial stage. A composition having a large specific resistance at room temperature and also at a high temperature after it has been used for a long time is desirable. The stability to an ultraviolet ray and heat of the composition relates to the service life of the liquid crystal device. The service life of the device is long when the stability is high. These characteristics are preferred for an AM device used for a liquid crystal projector, a liquid crystal television and so forth.
A composition having a positive dielectric anisotropy is used in an AM device having a TN mode. A composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy is used in an AM device having a VA mode. A composition having a positive or negative dielectric anisotropy is used in an AM device having an IPS mode. Examples of a liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy are disclosed in the following patent documents: JP H9-183974 A/1997, JP H10-176167 A/1998, JP H11-116512 A/1999, JP H11-140447 A/1999, JP 2000-96055 A/2000 and JP 2003-327965 A/2003.
A desirable AM device is characterized as having a usable temperature range that is wide, a response time that is short, a contrast ratio that is large, a threshold voltage that is low, a voltage holding ratio that is large, a service life that is long, and so forth. Even a one millisecond shorter response time is desirable. Thus, the composition having characteristics such as a high maximum temperature of a nematic phase, a low minimum temperature of a nematic phase, a small viscosity, a large optical anisotropy, a negatively large dielectric anisotropy, a large specific resistance, a high stability to an ultraviolet light, a high stability to heat, and so forth is especially desirable.